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Operation Nest Egg at Willowbank
Date: 10 February 2006
Operation Nest Egg at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
Although Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is home to the largest open display of kiwi, over the last season, the New Zealand Conservation Trust at Willowbank was the only operation to take an active part in ‘Operation Nest Egg’ in the South Island with both Okarito Brown Kiwi (Rowi) and Haast Tokoeka eggs.
This year all Haast Kiwi Eggs are to be brought into the Reserve from the wild as well as any young chicks found by DOC. Haast kiwi are at a critical stage with less than 100 pairs in the wild. Predation has caused havoc in their territory even with a continual trapping regime. Operation Nest Egg is a system where eggs are removed from the wild, hatched and reared in captivity by an approved operator, then released back into the wild when the chick is big enough to defend itself against predators. Up until recently this project has only involved North Island birds but now there is recognition that several South Island species are at a critical stage. The Great Spotted Kiwi numbers have reduced to less than 10,000 although this cannot be accurately assessed. The Okarito Kiwi are also endangered and are also part of the South Island Operation Nest Egg. These eggs are driven or flown from the West Coast where they are met and immediately put into the incubators in the kiwi breeding centre at Willow bank. Over the last season several Haast and Okarito eggs were hatched and the chicks returned to be reared to adulthood but this year the expectation is that the New Zealand Conservation Trust at Willowbank will have up to 60 eggs to incubate.
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Willowbank Wildlife Reserve & Restaurant
60 Hussey Road, Christchurch
New Zealand
Phone: +64 3 359 6226
Fax: +64 3 359 6212
Email: info@willowbank.co.nz
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